NFL play-offs: qualified teams, wild card fixtures and how to watch on TV

Twelve NFL sides remain in the race for Super Bowl LII next month

Buffalo Bills NFL Wild Card Weekend fixtures play-offs
The Buffalo Bills have qualified for the NFL play-offs for the first time since 1999
(Image credit: Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)

The NFL’s regular season is over and the 12 play-off spots have been decided - the road to Super Bowl LII starts this weekend with the wild card round.

Reigning champions the New England Patriots again look the team to beat ahead of American football’s showpiece event next month.

We take a look at the NFL play-off schedule, this weekend’s wild card fixtures and the latest Super Bowl betting odds.

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NFL play-off schedule: key dates

Which 12 teams have qualified for the NFL play-offs?

In the NFL divisional play-offs, the division champion with the best record in each conference will host the lowest seeded wild card survivor. Once teams are seeded for the play-offs, positions do not change:

American Football Conference (AFC)

National Football Conference (NFC)

  • 1. Philadelphia Eagles (13-3), NFC East champion
  • 2. Minnesota Vikings (13-3), NFC North champion
  • 3. Los Angeles Rams (11-5), NFC West champion
  • 4. New Orleans Saints (11-5), NFC South champion
  • 5. Carolina Panthers (11-5)
  • 6. Atlanta Falcons (10-6)

The Patriots, Eagles, Steelers and Vikings have qualified directly to the divisional round on 13-14 January while the Jaguars, Chiefs, Titans, Bills, Rams, Saints, Panthers and Falcons will play in this weekend’s wild card round.

NFL wild card fixtures and how to watch on TV

This weekend’s AFC wild card fixtures

  • Saturday, 6 January: Tennessee Titans at Kansas City Chiefs (9pm, live on Sky Sports)
  • Sunday, 7 January: Buffalo Bills at Jacksonville Jaguars (5.30pm, live on Sky Sports)

This weekend’s NFC wild card fixtures

  • Sunday, 7 January: Atlanta Falcons at Los Angeles Rams (1.15am, live on Sky Sports)
  • Sunday, 7 January: Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints (9.40pm, live on Sky Sports)

Super Bowl LII betting odds

The best prices according to Oddschecker as of 4 January:

  • New England Patriots: 2/1 fav
  • Minnesota Vikings: 9/2
  • Pittsburgh Steelers: 6/1
  • New Orleans Saints: 11/1
  • Los Angeles Rams: 11/1
  • Philadelphia Eagles: 12/1
  • Kansas City Chiefs: 18/1
  • Jacksonville Jaguars: 20/1
  • Atlanta Falcons: 22/1
  • Carolina Panthers: 25/1
  • Tennessee Titans: 125/1
  • Buffalo Bills: 125/1
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